MARK MY WORDS 49ers Will Release RANDY MOSS

September 17, 2012 · 21 Comments

By LG

Fan Post:

The 49ers will release Randy Moss sometime this year. It may happen sooner. It may happen later. But it will happen.

Why? Because for reasons that mystify me, he’s on the field for fewer than 25% of their plays. And when he IS on the field he’s little more than a decoy for Manningham, Davis or Crabtree—EVEN WHEN HE’S IN SINGLE COVERAGE!!!

Which begs the twofold question:

1) Why on earth did the 49ers waste money and a roster spot to sign him?

2) Why on earth doesn’t anyone in the media inquire (other than Troy Aikman in Week One)–since it’s so glaringly obvious that the 49’ers aren’t using Moss even in situations where he still figures to excel?

Perhaps someone on ESPN First Take can make it a debate topic and spare us the usual empty-headed (and oh-so-frequent) exchanges we’re subjected to about Tim Tebow and his prospects for success in the NFL. (I think Skip Bayless should put us all out of our misery, marry Tim Tebow now and get it over with…)

I’m not so sure I agree. Harbaugh likes Moss but he is not going to alter his game plan. Moss is there to keep the secondary honest. It is simply not in Harbaugh’s game plan to go for the big play if they are ahead. San Francisco has not trailed at all this year. They are not going to play Moss on crossing routes so it make sense that we have seen limited production out of him so far.

This is a stupid statement, whats ur beef with Moss? We didnt pay a kings ransom for him to play for us, and he contributes to the scheme. I believe the Redskins paid around 6mill a year for Josh Morgan and he hasnt produced for them and cost them a game this week, write about that… Moss draws safety help, he gets a 10yd cushion, and im sure when Harbaugh feels it necessary he’ll use him deep.

I agree with you…49ERS are very iinterested in Moss…You are just a little ignorant person who has no clue of what you are talking about…Don’t try to start a bad thing for the team…You must be a Raiser Fan!!!LOL

THAT was a stupid statement.I have no beef whatsoever with Randy Moss, who (I’ve maintained all along) has lost a lot less than his idiot detractors seem to think. I also maintain that the reason fans discount Randy’s ability at this stage of his career is because wrong headed commentators on ESPN and elsewhere ignore the fact that the last three teams Randy played for refused to throw him the ball–EVEN WHEN COVERAGE DICTATED IT. Now I can understand why New England phased him out since Robert Kraft intended to release Moss at the end of the 2010 season anyway. Grabbing Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski in the draft that year helped make that obvious. Randy’s complaints about not being used just sped things up a bit. But Minnesota and Tennessee??? What was THEIR excuse?

As for your assumption that Harbaugh will use Randy deep when he “feels it necessary”, throwing the ball deep isn’t the only time it’s advisable to throw Moss the ball…Troy Aikman said as much throughout the Green Bay game in Week One, and I’m inclined to agree with him…

Randy is doing exactly what the 9’ers want him to do. Draw attention away from other receivers, or get open himself. Two weeks in he has one touchdown when Green Bay released him, and he got a PI from Detroit that set up a touchdown, plus a needed first down to keep a drive alive. Besides, I have him on my fantasy team, so just wait he’s a comin.

I can see what Harbaugh is doing. But I disagree with it if that’s the ONLY way he intends to use a receiver with hands like Randy’s. My contention is that Moss has enough left in the tank to be more than an expensive decoy. I know it’s unreasonable to expect him to light things up the way he used to given his age(35), but as I implied in my reply to another reader above, I think that keeping him engaged mentally by feeding him the ball more often underneath will pay dividends immediately AND down the road.

PS–I happen to be a 49ers fan who wants to see them win the Super Bowl THIS YEAR–and I want Randy to be an ACTIVE–not just a passive–part of that!

I think Randy can mentor young receivers (and even older ones) and STILL catch 80 balls for the 49ers this year. Bill Bellichek TWICE called Randy Moss the most intelligent wide receiver he’s ever coached. He’s also in fabulous shape, although not much is made of that fact–certainly not as much as is made over Terrell Owens’ famous physical conditioning. But Randy is Superior to Terrell–and to most other receivers for that matter–in the IQ department, as well as in how smoothly he makes it into and out of his breaks which compensates for some of his lost straight ahead speed. And, most of all, he has incredibly soft hands–the best I’ve seen on a deep threat since Paul Warfield and yes, our inimitable Jerry Rice!

The article reads 49ers will release Moss. Ive explained why he would not be, sounds like your title was to get attention maybe. Fact is this team only cares about 1 stat, and thats the score. They didnt bring Moss in to break any records and Moss didnt join the 49ers for that reason either (he picked the 49ers over the pass happy Saints). Harbaugh plays the game like a chess match using line shifts and deep threats to open plays up, this offense already looks 100% better than week 2 last season.

Yes, the title was an intentional rabble-rouser as I was asked to draw an audience. That said,I am an enormous Randy Moss fan. To me he’s a taller, (and for most of his career) FASTER version of former Cleveland Browns’ star split end Paul Warfield. To keep it short, if Randy tore his pants with a conservative coach like Bill Bellichek by bellyaching about a dearth of touches and it got him a one way ticket to Minnesota, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if complaining about not being a more significant part of the 9’ers offense might prompt a similar reaction and a similar fate given the cohesiveness of this team…

I don’t think they will let him go. The 49ers aren’t the type of offense that want to ligth you p for 50 points per game. The 49ers want to have that abilty though in case they have a shootout like last year in the playoffs when the defense bailed them out with 4 FOUR turn overs. Before the season started I would of agreed with you but he is doing everything they havbe asked to do and helping bring along the young guys. I think it can work out and this give the depth at the position in case of injuries. Its really a win win for everyone. I respect your opinion, I just dont agree with it. I think the coach may have a slight man crush on him as well lol.

Randy Moss is the SHIT!!! I Garuntee he doesn’t get cut, with our offense and the way Alex is stepping up Moss will be once again one of the best receivers in the NFL which will lead to more money and a better contract next year. I dint see him getting CUT.

Actually, I have to say that I agree – they will end up releasing him. It’s not that I disagree with a single one of you about *Harbaugh*, or the 49er game plan, and such. Trent Dilfer just did a thing on ESPN that was quite complimentary about Alex Smith; while being completely honest about his physical talents as a passer (at least in the short- and intermediate-passing game, as he does have great touch on the longer routes), Dilfer talked about Smith’s mental & physical toughness; his mastery of the offense and gameplan; and that the guys in the locker room really do love him, even if we don’t see it. They really do believe in him. It was good stuff.

But Moss.

Everyone here is making a dangerous presumption or a baseless hope. This talented player has really just never been adept at being a *team* player for any long stretch of time. Ever. If the ball is coming his way a lot, he might behave, might not (please don’t ask me to be specific, because I will). But even if the ball is coming his way, he might decide that he has been “disrespected” in some way…or the money isn’t right…or the food tray buffet is insufficient…or that he may park wherever he wants, police officer notwithstanding.

We all *hope* that is behind him. We all *want* him to be a valuable part of the 49ers, within whatever part of the offense and whichever game they are in (assuming of course that all of the skills really are there, which is something else we all are hoping). But in the real world where risk analysis is done to prevent long-term damage, the terms and money involved in the contract have made it perfectly clear that SF is leaving the door open for Moss to be pushed out, if need be.

Countering that with, “Which is why he won’t!” is assigning a level of logic and maturity to the man that I have spent the rest of this letter explaining has been heretofore unrepresented in any way.

Although he is *far* from alone in our culture’s political, entertainment and sports stages, you really are looking at a fairly textbook case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder there. I hope that we can get a stable year out of him for the Super Bowl – and win in – while he uses us to rehab his image for the Hall of Fame. Trust me when I tell you it is the maximum we can expect.

And if you’re looking up NPD – it’s real – loathe as I am to recommend it, use the Wiki that pops up, as it both uses the DSM-IV and even lists the markers that a diagnostician looks for when making that particular assessment. One need only hit 5 of them to be at least considered on the scale; if you guys are honest, you’ll see that Mr. Moss fits nicely under the umbrella.

How can someone who honestly feels no empathy for others be expected to be a functioning teammate under NFL pressures for any length of time?

No way he sees the playoffs. I hope Ginn makes it back, the rookie steps up his game, and that Crabtree continues to produce so that we can get number 6 and shut Pittsburgh up.

Yawn, you’re diagnosing someone based on what you’ve heard and read. And even if what you feel has been true, people can and do change. Btw, next time shorten your self righteous description of someone you dont know. 49ers are 2-0 stop worrying about who should be released. If it ain’t broke dont fix it!
P.S. no one needed to make an article or respond to an article last season before Braylon Edwards was released… And yet it happened, because he popped off 1 week and was also injured (tbh it kinda hurt us in the playoffs). Im sure anyone seeing that on this team then or now knows what tpye of program this is.

Hey Cliff, I understand most peoples questions to why Moss isnt on the field more often. I have a simple explanation for it. We all know Harbaugh doesnt run the easiest system to pick up. Look at Vernon Davis production the first 10 games of the year last year. Hell the first 5 games the 9ers ran the ball more than 50% of the time. This is Randy Moss’s first year in the system. It may take awhile for him to assimilate into that system and finally become productive. Also I would not be surprised if Vernon Davis’s production timing last year wasnt a coinsidence. They could have simply waited for the post season to break him out, allowing the team to learn how to win in different ways. Could be the same this year. With the combination of a new system and also Harbaughs knack for keeping things under wraps for competetive reasons, look for Moss’s roll to increase as the season continues.

You made some very good points. It could well be a learning curve situation with Moss and not any reluctance on Harbaugh’s part to employ him more frequently.
Having said that I would also point out that Bill Bellicheck twice said that Rany Moss was the smartest receiver he’s ever coached, so I wouldn’t expect the learning curve to last that long…

Your an idiot…
Sorry, but its a fact!!
1st off, the 49ers signed Randy Moss for next to nothing, his entire contract is incentive based. 2nd, he caught a TD in week 1 against GB and would have caught another in week 2 vs. Det had it none been for pass interference in the endzone…do you know what a decoy is??? Randy Moss has a specific roll on that team, just like the other receivers. You cant blame Alex Smith for targeting Crabs and VD when he has such a well developed repore with them already. As for Aikman, that was a dumb comment by him, it was a running play, should we just throw out the whole gameplan cuz he says Randy Moss is singled up at the top of the screen??? Let’s audible just to throw the ball to him in a big game where the 49ers have the lead, no, you run the ball…you stick with a great recipe for winning that has them playing like the best team in football!!! In closing, “Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to you, I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul!!” ~Billy Madison~

Well Einstein, let’s take a look at a few of your points. First, you can’t assume Randy would have caught a touchdown pass if the Lions’ defender hadn’t committed pass interference. Since the play wasn’t completed in a normal manner I guess we’ll never know. Second, all exceptional receivers serve as decoys at different times during the course of a game for their counterparts across the field. My contention is that Randy is talented enough to do more than divert attention from other receivers on 70 per cent of the plays that he’s in there. I never said you should throw to him on every down–but I think his skill level merits more attention (and use) than having him on the field for less than 33% of our plays and then throwing in his direction even less frequently than THAT. Also, Troy Aikman specifically expressed surprise on THREE occasions during Game One that Alex didn’t make Moss his hot read and they weren’t all running plays. But even if they WERE designed runs, Smith could have checked out of them at the line and thrown the ball down field occasionally like, say, Peyton or Aaron or or Tom or any other quarterback worth his salt.

I think this team is more than good enough to win the Super Bowl without Moss even approximating what he once was throughout his tenures in Minnesota and New England (and the first 6 games with the Raiders when he was leading the NFL in yards per catch before going dark on them and getting himself traded…) But I’d like to see Moss get the ball more not only because it would make running the ball (and passing it to Davis, Manningham and Crabtree)even easier, but also as a hedge against the possibility that he’ll begin grousing about a lack of touches and then get himself benched or run out of town by a coach who’s every bit as “TEAM FIRST” as Bellichek Jeff Fisher are…